THE BIRDWATCHER

The rustle of leaves and morning air greeted Dan while he slept in the tent. He had planned this for so many weeks. "I'm finally getting to enjoy some well deserved solitude" he thought to himself. The new insulated sleeping bag was cozy and he only wanted to continue feeling its warmth.

However, he got up and began semi-packing some of his gear. He packed extremely light this time since the trip was only supposed to last for two days, Friday through Saturday.

March was always a little crisp and brisk in Lake Landings. This particular campsite was so scenic and highly recommended for hikers and birdwatcher enthusiasts. As the sound of a stream flowed near him, there was little to no sunlight yet. He eagerly made his way to it and filled up plastic bottles with water.

He made a small fire to boil it before making coffee and washing his face. Dan also brushed his teeth with the sterilized water before saving the rest as drinking water. He easily dismantled the tent and used his backpack for further storage.

Working remotely still had been crazy stressful for him. His better half and girlfriend of many years, Fancy whom he called "Fan" demanded he take better care of himself physically and mentally. She decided not to accompany Dan this time because they both needed space.

Fancy wanted to get married this year, but he was convinced there was no rush to tie the knot yet. "Why couldn't they just keep their relationship uncomplicated." He called her but only got voicemail. Dan decided not to leave a message but sent a text instead saying "Thinking of you."

Dan flirted with being moderately obese since enduring an injury to his knees. The car accident happened over a year ago, but a lot of his mobility and desire to jog ended with the crash. His doctor constantly warned him to find an outlet or hobby to relieve any mental fatigue, stress, and to lessen his overall sedentary habits.

The birdwatching for him was a prayer answered. He loved nature, photography, binoculars, and walking or even climbing trees to get a solid glimpse of his favorite bird-the barn owl or any other species of owl. The hobby was pretty inexpensive and could be done anywhere almost anytime.

He looked at some of the images on his camera. They were incredible photos almost magazine worthy. Yesterday had been amazing and today, his last day at the site, would need to be just as phenomenal. The zoom feature was high definition and the eyes of the owl almost looked touchable in his photos.

The steep hill was doable and the tall trees were perfect for perching. Immediately Dan heard a woodpecker, a hawk, a hummingbird, and then a barn owl. The mating season for them was in full swing. Hoots they gave were almost endless and extremely loud. It was uncanningly beautiful.

The sky looked clear but an ominous cloud in the distance loomed too.

There had been no forecast of any rain or inclement weather. Other than the sounds of birds the area was eerily serene. Dan also noticed there had been no other hikers near him. His phone was at about 60 percent. An hour or less is all Dan needed today before heading home.

The large oak tree he spotted actually had some extended limbs but were very close together. Even with his limited physical prowess, Dan was confident he could climb just high enough for the final photos. Solid effort and his passion for taking the perfect photo fueled him.

There he sat perched with his lens focused on the nest of an owl. As he rested half way on the limb, and adult owl landed into the nest. The owl's signature rotating neck movement was captured by Dan. He snapped at least three times and on the fourth click of the camera, the hoot of the owl was piercing. The owl actually flew right above Dan's head and that startled him.

Unfortunately, as he attempted to capture the owl's departure, the limb shifted. It began to make a cracking sound while Dan quickly tried to maneuver himself to a safer point on the tree.

He had only climbed about three to six feet and danger never crossed his mind. His camera was lightweight and he purposely left the backpack on the ground to climb. "Don't panic" is all his mind could think while he cautiously stepped from one limb to another.

Dan could not have predicted the failure of his right knee. It began to go numb and buckle. The sudden movement jolted him and the camera strap landed strategically on a limb above him. "Oh God, no no," he yelled as the camera strap on his neck tightened enough to hurt him. Dan scrambled to reach for a close limb to pull himself up. It was the limb where the owl's nest rested.

The continued months of sedentary activity had taken a toll on Dan and he was no longer the conditioned, physically fit person he use to be. He somehow managed to reach out and partially touch the nest.

However, the movement proved futile as it slowly disintegrated and the limb snapped. Dan could do nothing but allow himself to fall with his eyes shut.

Dan now crying, softly uttered "I love you Fan. I never told you enough."

"I should have listened to you and I could have been easier to love too."

Dan while laboring to breathe, placed his hands on his chest and raised both up to the darkening sky above. The earth underneath him felt increasingly cool and uncomfortably rough.

The quiet and stillness of Lake Landings was loud for the wrong reasons. No other hikers traveled in the area. A deer only a few feet away lingered to eat a few berries. It disappeared into the natural scenery. As night fell the barn owl returned to the tree overlooking Dan.

As the barn owl began to hoot in a cadence, several text messages flooded Dan's phone for the rest of the night. The eyes of the regal, barn owl stared at him.

-The End